The 46-year-old Hariri, who has already once served as Lebanese prime minister, is anti-Syria and a fierce opponent of Hezbollah, which backs the government of Bashar Al-Assad in Syria and is actively involved in the fighting there.

Hariri is the son of former prime minister Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005, an act blamed on Hezbollah.

Despite these facts, however, Hezbollah has two ministers in the new Cabinet.